Copay Fairness for Veterans Act

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1644 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1644

 To amend title 38, United States Code, to eliminate copayments by the 
  Department of Veterans Affairs for medicines relating to preventive 
                health services, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           February 27, 2025

 Ms. Underwood (for herself, Mr. Moulton, Mrs. Hayes, and Ms. Norton) 
 introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
                           Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To amend title 38, United States Code, to eliminate copayments by the 
  Department of Veterans Affairs for medicines relating to preventive 
                health services, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Copay Fairness for Veterans Act''.

SEC. 2. IMPROVEMENT TO PREVENTIVE HEALTH SERVICES FURNISHED BY 
              DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.

    (a) Elimination of Medication Copayments.--Section 1722A(a)(3) of 
title 38, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) in subparagraph (C), by striking ``or'';
            (2) in subparagraph (D), by striking the period at the end 
        and inserting ``; or''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
            ``(E) to medication that is or is part of a preventive 
        health service.''.
    (b) Elimination of Hospital Care and Medical Services Copayments.--
Section 1710 of such title is amended--
            (1) in subsection (f)--
                    (A) by redesignating paragraph (5) as paragraph 
                (6); and
                    (B) by inserting after paragraph (4) the following 
                new paragraph (5):
    ``(5) A veteran shall not be liable to the United States under this 
subsection for any amounts for preventive health services.''; and
            (2) in subsection (g)(3), by adding at the end the 
        following new subparagraph:
            ``(C) Preventive health services.''.
    (c) Definition.--Section 1701(9) of such title is amended--
            (1) in subparagraph (K), by striking ``; and'' and 
        inserting a semicolon;
            (2) by redesignating subparagraph (L) as subparagraph (O); 
        and
            (3) by inserting after subparagraph (K) the following new 
        subparagraphs:
            ``(L) evidence-based items or services that have in effect 
        a rating of `A' or `B' in the current recommendations of the 
        United States Preventive Services Task Force;
            ``(M) immunizations that have in effect a recommendation 
        from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices of the 
        Centers for Disease Control and Prevention with respect to the 
        individual involved;
            ``(N) with respect to services for women--
                    ``(i) the preventive care, screenings, and 
                contraceptives provided for in the Health Resources and 
                Services Administration Preventive Services Guidelines 
                in effect as of December 30, 2022; and
                    ``(ii) any contraceptive approved, granted, or 
                cleared by the Food and Drug Administration, any 
                related contraceptive care, and any related services; 
                and''.
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